They look like proper cutlets, they’re tasty, fun, and crunch like a dream — I’m honestly amazed at myself!

Quick info

  • Servings: 2 generous
  • Prep: 20 minutes
  • Cooking: 20 minutes
  • Tools: 4 soup plates, spoons, slotted spoon, tall pan for frying, baking paper, kitchen paper, meat mallet

Ingredients

  • 400g (14.1 oz) fresh king oyster mushrooms (cardoncelli) — the wider and thicker the caps, the better
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons milk (I use unsweetened soy milk)
  • 8 tablespoons flour
  • 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
  • 4 tablespoons grated cheese
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • spices to taste (finely chopped parsley recommended)
  • frying oil (plenty)

Method

Prep the mushrooms and breading

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
  2. Clean the 400g (14.1 oz) of mushrooms by gently wiping them with a cloth or kitchen paper. Don’t rinse them under water.
  3. Lay the mushrooms on baking paper and bake at 180°C (356°F) for 10–12 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
  4. In one plate, beat 1 egg with 3 tablespoons of milk, salt and pepper.
  5. In a second plate, put 8 tablespoons of flour.
  6. In a third, combine 6 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, 4 tablespoons of grated cheese, and your chosen spices.
  7. Take the mushrooms out of the oven, blot them well with kitchen paper and let them cool slightly.
  8. If they need it, gently flatten the slices with light taps of the meat mallet.

Breading

  1. Press a slice into the flour, gently but firmly, on both sides.
  2. Dip the slice in the egg on both sides — don’t leave it sitting in there.
  3. Move the slice to the breadcrumb mixture. Press well on both sides and shake off the excess gently.
  4. Repeat for all the slices.

Frying

  1. Pour plenty of oil into a tall pan and heat it up.
  2. Check the temperature by dropping in a small clump of breadcrumbs: if it bubbles up straight away, the oil is ready.
  3. Fry a few slices at a time. When they’re nice and golden, lift them out with the slotted spoon.
  4. Lay them on kitchen paper and let them rest for a few minutes.

Notes

Serve with roast potatoes or a fresh salad. Eat them hot: they hit peak crunch when they’re just warm.